SCOTLAND has 90% of the UK’s fresh water and, with England forecast to run dry in 25 years, a New Scot is warning that our water could be stolen as big-money corporations target our supply in their search for new avenues to make their mega fortunes.
Mark Frankland, a Lancastrian who has lived in Dumfries for 18 years and runs the First Base food bank, came north as part of a mixed-race family when the streets of his home town, Blackburn, turned toxic.
One of the English Scots for Yes group, he is a campaigner for Scottish independence, as well as a published author and blogger and, in his latest blog post he addresses the “great big elephant in the indyref2 room”.
He says the prospect of how an indy Scotland would pay its bills continues to be a “regularly aired” media favourite, while the Scottish Government says, “everything is going to be great: fairness and freedom and ice lollies for everyone”.
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Frankland asks: “Why on earth is the Scottish Government so utterly incapable of getting itself onto the front foot when it comes to explaining why Scotland will be absolutely fine and dandy as a small independent nation in the wild west world of the 21st century?”
He says the answer lies by following the money of the 2000 or so multi-billionaires “who more or less own the planet” and who, in turn, entrust their fortunes to the likes of BlackRock, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.
There, the brightest that Oxford and Harvard have to offer are recruited to find the best home for the treasure of the super-rich, which is not hidden away: “Blindingly obvious. The greatest of all elephants in the room. They call it the next oil. And it comes out of your tap when you clean your teeth in the morning.
“Oh yes ladies and gentlemen, we’re talking water. As in the second-most-important thing in the world.”
Humans can last three or four minutes without oxygen, three or four days without water we can do something with – that is fresh water.
“Unlike the air we breathe, water is very much buyable,” he says. “And right now, the big money is pouring into water. It is the ultimate commodity … there is nothing to replace water and our planet is slowly but surely running out.
“No doubt one day we will find a practical, affordable way to yank the salt out of seawater and thereby make it usable. So long as we don’t all die of thirst before getting there.
“Well, the big brains at Goldman Sachs obviously don’t see that day arriving any time soon which is why they are buying water companies from Chile to Outer Mongolia.”
Frankland says Scotland has 90% of the UK’s fresh water – with 7452 million cubic litres, Loch Ness itself contains more water than all the English and Welsh lakes together – and in the decades to come industries will “roam the Earth looking for a place to call home … where water is in abundant supply”.
He says: “Only 10% will be able to say yes. Nae bother. In you come pal. We’ve plenty of sites for you to choose from. Water? Of course, we can give you water. We’ve got plenty. And renewable energy? Sure. Fill your boots, pal. Scotland is absolutely in that magical 10%. And being a part of the magical 10% of places where water and renewable energy are in huge surplus will have any number of benefits.
“Like being able to tell the corporations desperate to find a water rich home that a 40% corporation tax is non-negotiable. As is a generous employee pension fund. As is providing all employees with the best working conditions in the world. And maternity care. And sick pay.”
Frankland says in the years to come there will be a price to pay to locate factories in place like Scotland, where water can be had.
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“If Carlsberg were to create the perfect water collection system ... It’s all about water, stupid. The new oil. And we are Klondike. Can anyone seriously suggest with a straight face that the government of a newly independent Scotland will struggle to sell treasury bonds?
“Try selling the fairy tale of endemic Scottish poverty to a Goldman Sachs bond trader tasked with finding a safe 10-year home for a whole bunch of big money.
“We own the box seat and right now we are allowing a public school boy from London to sit in it rent free and it seems we are too shy and embarrassed to acknowledge the fact that the said box seat is actually in our name.
“Now if that ain’t an elephant in the room I really don’t know what is!”
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